Questioner: "S"
Subject: CatholocismQuestion: When did Catholocism start? I guess I mean was there a year?
John of AllFaith's reply
Hi "S",This is a very debated question.
According to the Catholic Church, when Jesus told Peter, "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it," he was appointing Peter as the first Catholic Pope and instituting the Church. If this view is accepted, the Catholic Church began around 32 CE.
Others believe that in 312 CE when Emperor Constantine proclaimed he had had a vision to unite the Roman Empire under a universal (i.e. "catholic") church, this began the Roman Catholic Church. Others point to earlier dates (certain of the "Church fathers") or later dates (Nicea or other councils).
In my opinion, the Catholic Church began on February 27, 380 when Emperor Theodosius issued his edict, De Fide Catolica, in Thessalonica, published in Constantinople, declaring Catholic Christianity as the state religion of the Roman Empire.
Following the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 CE the followers of Jesus, like the Jews, spread out through the known world. These people studied and prayed and sought God's direction according to their ability. Some of these people supported merging their doctrines with Roman Pagan doctrines in an attempt to lessen the persecutions and gain official recognition by the Empire. Others doubtless supported this position out of lack of knowledge. They were Romans and they knew these teachings, but were ignorant of Jewish scripture and doctrine. In the New Testament Paul and others warn that Pagan and other "heretical views" were being introduced into the Church. It can be argued that these Romanized teachings were included in these warnings.
Other people sought more mystical approaches (the Gnostics etc.). As time went by there were many "Christianities" not just one. Some Nazarenes believed one thing, others another.
Once the form of Christianity embraced by certain pro-Roman factions was in power, the Catholic Church began a long process of distilling and canonizing its beliefs into a Roman hierarchically authorized form. This form is what we today refer to as Roman Catholicism.
Other forms of Christian faith continued as well however, but these were forced underground by persecution. Groups/beliefs such as the Abegensians, Cathers, Arians, Anabaptists, the Coptic Church, etc. maintained their teaching as the arguably true Christian faith continued. In time most of these were destroyed by the might of the Catholic Church.
The Roman Catholic Church split into the Eastern and Western (Orthodox and Catholic) Church. Later of course the Church of England (Anglican) left Rome and later came the Protestant Reformation and so on. Each group claiming to be the true, original faith taught by Jesus.
This may be more information than you wanted to know, but it is relevant to what we know as Catholicism and Christianity.
If you have further questions feel free to write back.
-
~John of AllFaith
You are visitor number...
Who cares, I'm glad YOU'RE here!
Who cares, I'm glad YOU'RE here!
